Reasons Why Kittens Should Be Adopted in Pairs

Thinking about adding a feline friend to your family? When it comes to adopting a kitten, two is better than one.

It may seem like two cats will be more work for a pet owner, but that’s not actually the case. Kittens tend to do better when they’re adopted with a friend. That’s why many shelters have a two for one deal when you adopt kittens.

But why is that? Let’s break down the reasons why kittens should be adopted in pairs.

It’s Harder to Introduce an Adult Cat to a Kitten

Adult cats can become territorial, which makes introducing them to a kitten more difficult. If you get one kitten to start and plan to add another cat to the family later, you may run into trouble.

Typically, it will take longer for the adult cat to acclimate to a kitten. Additionally, the adult cat may not have enough energy to keep up with a kitten, which will lead to a strained relationship between the two and potential aggression.

All of that stress can be avoided by adopting two kittens at once rather than adding another kitten or adult cat to the family at a later date. But won’t two kittens be more work than just one?

One Kitten is About the Same Amount of Work as Two

Nope, it won’t be much more work to adopt a pair of kittens.

You’ll have to scoop a litter box no matter what when you adopt a cat. Surprisingly, adding another kitten to the equation doesn’t increase the workload by that much. It takes about the same amount of time to scoop the litter box, the only difference is you may want to consider adding a second box and scooping it more often than you would with just one cat.

Some people find that adopting two kittens at once is actually less work than one kitten on its own. Why is that?

Kittens Will Play and Keep Each Other Busy

With one kitten, you’ll have to put in a lot of time to play with them. They need a lot of your time and attention to help them grow and develop and to avoid behavioral issues.

When kittens get bored, they can be destructive. Something so tiny can actually cause a lot of damage when they aren’t getting enough attention. They may claw up your couches, chew on cords, climb up drapes, etc. If they have another kitten around to play with and spend their energy on, there will be significantly less damage caused to your house and possessions.

Also, I’m not sure what it is about baby animals, but their teeth are ridiculously sharp. Those kitten bites are no joke when they are playing with you and decide that it’s a great idea to chomp down on your arm. If you have two kittens, though, they will play, bite, and wrestle with each other.

Playing together will also help them develop boundaries. They’ll learn not to bite and scratch their humans while playing, and they’ll also learn how rough they can play without hurting their kitten brother or sister. The SPCA of Northern Virginia notes that “kittens need interaction with other kittens for healthy social development.” Having the companionship of another kitten will help both to be happy, healthy pets.

If you’re not convinced yet, let me make one final point. You’ll be really appreciative to have two kittens when they decide to play with each other at 3 AM instead of waking you up to play. They’ll both be entertained and enriched and you’ll be able to sleep peacefully.

Now that you know why it’s important to adopt kittens in pairs, you might be wondering about the adoption process. Here’s everything you need to know before adopting a pet in Lansing. You’ll also find more information on the Capital Area Humane Society’s website.